Jim Slayton, 45, who lives down the road in Melrose, said he came by on Tuesday to pick the Philadelphia Eagles to win the Super Bowl, but came back the next day to bet on them again. “If you just want to place a quick bet, this is perfect,” he said. Kevin Sanchez, 29, of Mattapan, said he’d already been to the Express Sportsbook three times. Among the facilities at this property are room service and a 24-hour front desk, along with free WiFi throughout the property. “I was in and out in five minutes,” he said, as he walked through garage.įor some, the convenience has already inspired repeat trips. Located in Boston, 1.5 miles from Cambridge College, Encore Boston Harbor has accommodations with a garden, free private parking, a shared lounge and a restaurant. “It’s so easy,” said Aaron Boise, 22, who arrived from Hanover wearing a Celtics hoodie.īefore last week, Boise, who bets on sports regularly, had to travel to Rhode Island to do it.
Gamblers who showed up while I was there said they planned to use it often. That was the opinion of Les Bernal, national director of the group Stop Predatory Gambling, which dismissed the garage kiosks as merely a “lure” for smartphone betting.Įither way, for now, drive-up betting has found its audience. Or maybe the Express Sportsbook is a way for WynnBET to get customers used to betting with the brand, and then sticking with it by downloading their app later on. Maybe it’s an option that appeals to people who want to place bets and then watch games from the comfort of their couch or local sports bar, but prefer using cash in person instead of firing up an app. Still, the spokeswoman said Encore plans to keep the garage kiosks open “long-term,” even when mobile apps are widely available.
